The Cruel Web of Sin
by ElectricEnchantment
Summary: Morgana is thirsty for blood and she will give anything to watch Camelot fall. Lies, hurt and betrayal captivate Camelot as the young Witch tangles everyone in her Cruel Web of Sin, but will she spare her Prestigious Prince? SPOILERS FOR SERIES 4!
1. Chapter 1 The seed has been planted

**Authors Note;**

_Just a mess-up that's been dawdling on my mind for some time, I'm not sure if I'll continue it, but I have some ideas for some more chapters, although I'm not entirely sure. I started this some time ago, some alterations have been made prior to Series 4, but I wanted to attempt being the bad Morgana? I'm not sure. Anyway, let me know what you think._

**Chapter 1**

"_The seed has been planted."_

The loud creaks of the floorboards created a sense of foreboding in the small shack that lay hidden in the woods. Morgana paced back and forth, her delicate brows furrowed in annoyance and impatience, as she heard a thunderous storm evoke the nature outside. A small fire burned in the hearth, her only source for warmth, and it was freezing out here.

Cupping her hands together she rubbed them violently together, creating friction a she attempted to warm her cool hands, before she sat on the rickety wooden chair beside the dying fire. _Where was he? _Morgana hated to be kept waiting, and Agravaine was supposed to have met her here hours ago, and she could not rest waiting his presence. Morgana had chosen not to change from her long black gown; it would hold more warmth for now, than the light nightshirts she was now forced to wear.

Morgana let a loud squeal of anger escape her lips through gritted teeth, he was an idiot- how _dare he_ keep her waiting, she hated being played with, meddled with- and the reason for his lateness would obviously be a bad one, she was sure of it, something was holding him up.

Soon, the echoing subdue of horses hooves racing with the rainstorm made Morgana stand and fold her arms, looking bold and intimidating, but her eyes wide with the hope of a small child. Agravaine pushed open the wooden board that was her front door, before he closed it and shook of the rain, his face a mixture of orange and yellows from the glowing fire. "How nice of you to join me!" Morgana spat in disgust through gritted teeth as she fell back down onto her chair, looking into the fiery flames.

"I could not get away, Milady- it was hard, I had matters to address." Agravaine told her shyly, making his way over the warmth of the fire with open hands as Morgana looked up to him. "And what matters where so important?" Morgana asked him, in a tone of aggression and high annoyance from being kept waiting.

Agravaine looked to her, with wary eyes; she could tell from his silent disposition that he was hiding something. "Speak!" She urged, angered by his attitude. "It is Arthur…" Agravaine explained, afraid to speak in fear of what she might do.

Morgana's eyes then grew wide, and she feared she might have revealed too much emotion in that single glance, her face was washed with concern, her brows furrowed as she looked away from Agravaine, her teeth still gritted, her mind deep in thought. "What of him?" Morgana asked finally, wanting him to spit the words right out, he had left her waiting long enough already.

"He… Suspects you..." Agravaine said finally, looking to Morgana, awaiting her reaction. Morgana let a mocking laugh escape her lips as she stormed out of her chair and over the window, watching the pouring rain. "Good." She commented, a sly smile prying on her lips, her mind already flowing with conniving plans.

"He plans to have you hunted, and killed." Agravaine explained further, not moving but his dark eyes of worry following her across the room. Morgana let another mocking laugh escape, Arthur would not dare kill her; she knew him well enough, he would send empty threats of going on a hunt to have her blood spilled, but he would not be the one to drain her of life. "What are these?" Morgana turned finally to Agravaine, her teeth gritted as she spoke, a sudden rage flowing through her veins, as she moved her hands in motion. "These; constant idle threats of murder and defeat!" Morgana snapped, meeting Agravaine's gaze as she spoke.

"You know as well as I how many times he threatens to spill my blood!" Morgana said in disgust, moving closer to Agravaine, so close now, that her breath could be felt on his cheek. "You tell your _Prince_…" Morgana spat, in some form of disgust and foolish hatred. "That if he wants me dead, he come and see to it himself." Morgana said her voice now low, close to a whisper.

Agravaine was frozen, she suddenly was across the room and now, now she was here, right up and into his face speaking so aggressively the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He shivered as her words leaked from her lips and wavered across his, but soon she had broken away, and now had his back to him.

"He plans to send a Cavalry out in the morning." Agravaine told her, stepping back from the fire now, as he looked to her, his face full of regret and concern.

"Coward." Morgana spat, disgusted by Arthur's actions, before she finally turned to face Agravaine again, the distance in the room between them was no more than a few footsteps. "Does he constantly need the pathetic protection of his Knights?" Morgana groaned angrily, more so speaking to herself.

"Milady!" Agravaine said, louder than before- his voice full of concern as his brows furrowed with anxiety. "You tried to kill him, his father, his friends- you plan to watch Camelot fall, and at your hands." Agravaine explained, wanting her to understand that Arthur wasn't as foolish as she thought. But the young woman was now close to him now, she spoke up and into his face again, her teeth gritted, he had angered her.

"Whose side are you on?" She snarled aggressively up at him, making him hold his hands out in defence. "Yours Milady, always." Agravaine motioned, fearing her like a predator. "I'm simply stating that… Arthur would not come alone, he fears you- if he were to come alone I suspect he believes you'd kill him, and that Camelot would fall." Agravaine told her, adding a soft smile in at the end when he seen her smirk.

"Oh, and it will." Morgana smirked slyly at the wondrous thought of the day Camelot would be under her ruling, when she would sit on that glorious throne with than magnificent crown of rubies and sapphires placed on her head, she would be a truly remarkable Queen.

"I will need another source." Morgana said finally after the long silence of twisted thoughts, as she fell back into her wooden chair and placed her fingers on her lips thoughtfully, as her emerald gaze was brought back to the flames which caressed and licked her face in an orange glow. "No offence to you, but- I will need someone _closer_ to Arthur." Morgana spoke, awaiting Agravaine's reaction, she knew he would not take this kindly- he would take this one to heart.

"Milady, I am Arthur's Uncle, he confides me in everything he does- he looks at me like a father." Agravaine told her, his face awash with nervousness and fear, did she no longer trust him.

"Well, you have proved yourself useful." Morgana said, looking to him with a light smile. "But, I will need someone much closer than a father figure." Morgana explained. "A friend, someone he would trust dearly- someone he would spend a great deal of time with…" Morgana sighed in defeat; no one was coming to mind at all.

"I know of no one who would be so foolish to betray Arthur." Agravaine told her, making a face of deep concern.

Morgana sighed greatly, who was close to Arthur in such a way? That he trusted them on the most greatest of missions, she needed an inside source, with someone who was on her side so close to him, she knew it would break the already fragile Prince. Agravaine was great yes, but she needed to trick this new person into believing she was the good one here, she was the one hard done by- which she was. Merlin would be his closest companion, but she wanted him dead as much as she wanted Uther gone, and Merlin would never succumb to her, see any trace of goodwill in her bones, not to mention she could not fool him.

Sir Leon, he was too loyal- he would rather die than to betray Arthur, he had proved this when she was Queen for the short period, he would not believe her good. Lancelot would be great yes, but he was in love with the foolish servant, he would certainly not have eyes for another. Elyan, Morgana did not know him well enough but she could play this to her strengths, with Percival also- but she could not fool them into believing her angelic. And then, that only left Gwaine- the most foolish of them all, but would he believe Morgana was the victim in all of this? He could be fooled yes, she had heard of his womanizing ways, he would not turn her down if she was willingly- and perhaps he was the only one dumb enough to hide his betrayal from Arthur, if Morgana led him to believe it wasn't a betrayal after all.

Morgana let a smirk creep onto her cold lips, her prying eyes rising up to meet Agravaine's. "What is it?" Agravaine urged, unnerved by her prying smirk. "You have someone in mind?" He questioned with great curiosity, and she replied with a slow nod, somewhat eerie in the dark, colourless shadows that surrounded them.

"Who do you believe is the idiot, of all of Arthur's Knights?" Morgana asked him, seeing the answer as now obvious, as she stood up and spoke proudly, pacing back and forth as she asked him this.

"Well… That's obvious." Agravaine replied, as though it were common sense. "Gwaine." He remarked, not fully catching on. "And why is that?" Morgana stopped and looked to him, her smirk widening. "Because… Well because he cares more of foolish things, such as food and women- rather than defending a Kingdom, although he is a talented fighter." Agravaine explained to Morgana, his brows furrowed in confusion as he looked to smirking features, looking for a hidden meaning, for the obvious answer.

"Exactly." She whispered, before Agravaine let a small laugh escape his lips- he understood clearly now, it had been so obvious. Morgana let a cruel laugh escape her lips, whilst he returned in, the twisted sadistic mind of the woman now racing of new plans, as she confided in Agravaine, well into the night.

"Ow!" Yelped the burly young Knight as a bright green apple bounced and rolled on the ground. Gwaine brought a hand up to rub the throbbing pain on the back of his head as he lifted his eyes to the young Prince above him.

"Are you going to sleep all day?" Arthur moaned, putting out a hand for Gwaine to take. Gwaine sighed and yawned and stretched before he accepted the help and pulled himself from the ground, patting down the backs of his trousers.

"I told you!" Arthur scolded as he furrowed his brows at Gwaine. "To get a decent night's rest, _in your chamber_, not out here in the courtyard." The Prince moaned as Gwaine broke a smile and laughed at his Prince.

"Well, you know the duties of being a Knight." Gwaine winked as he marched over to his dazzling white stallion, already saddled up and waiting. "Yes, and it doesn't consist of women and wine!" Arthur retaliated as he walked behind Gwaine and slapped him around the back of the head, before he climbed his own chestnut brown horse.

"You're so abusive!" Gwaine muttered as he tousled his shaggy dark hair again, and mounted his horse. "You're lucky you're not in a pit somewhere!" Arthur spat angrily, before he dug his heels into his horse and trotted out of the Courtyard, Gwaine at his horse's heels- as the two went to meet up with the rest of the waiting Knights and Merlin.

"Found him then!" Percival laughed as he saw Arthur and Gwaine ride out from the drawbridge. "He'd sleep on a clothesline that one." Arthur replied with a slight smirk, looking back to a drowsy Gwaine who was yawning and not paying much attention to the fun his friends were making at him.

"Everyone raring to go then?" Merlin chimed with an exasperated grin as he looked to Gwaine and Arthur. "Shut up Merlin." Arthur told him with a roll of his eyes, as he looked to Leon to give orders.

"Today, we're going to hunt for the witch." Arthur sighed whole heartily, the words escaping his lips paining him, to even refer to her like that. "Morgana." He commented at last, although everyone knew who he was referring to. "As we can expect, she's dangerous- and won't think twice about taking any of your lives." Arthur explained, very serious now, although Gwaine still wasn't paying much attention.

"We'll split up- it's the easiest way." Arthur told them, raising his hands to point at Elyan, Merlin and Lancelot. "I'll go with you three; Gwaine will go with Percival and you Leon." Arthur told him, seriously- knowing that Leon was his second man; he would be a great leader, for Gwaine especially.

"Will we kill her upon sight?" Leon asked his brows rose in curiosity as he looked to Arthur for an answer. "No." Arthur replied quickly, a little _too_ quickly. "Then… Please excuse my bluntness Sire, but what exactly is the object of the mission?" Leon questioned, his brow raised as he looked to Arthur, the other Knights all intrigued on this answer also.

"I have unfinished business with her." Arthur explained with a sigh of deep concern. He couldn't kill Morgana, not _really_. Although he feared that she was already dead, that this new form of evil and magic had taken over her and drained all humanity from her veins, he feared if anything that she would not have one ounce of her old self left- if she didn't he would _have_ to kill this twisted woman of magic and sadism, but if she did- he would spare her. He needed to talk with Morgana, like they were still as they once were, to ask her of her cruelness, he would give her the throne if it meant she would return to her old self, he would give anything to have her back as foolish as it sounded he still believed he could change her, to explain that all of this could end, now that Morgause was dead it seemed possible, but he couldn't deny that he was perhaps fooling himself, and was in a grave form of denial.

"I see, you wish you kill her yourself." Leon smirked, letting a small laugh escape his lips. "I should hate her." Arthur replied. "For what she's done on me, on Camelot, and my father- I should be thirsty for her blood." Arthur confessed the heartbreak clear in his gaze. "But, I cannot just kill her without reason for all of this." Arthur told his main Knight. Leon's mouth fell open, in some form of horror and disbelief.

"Sire, she is of magic." Leon gasped, was that not reason enough? "I do not believe magic is a toll of death." Arthur frowned as he looked to Leon to reply, what would be his great answer. Merlin on the other hand couldn't help but let a small, sneaky smile creep onto his lips at Arthur's last remark.

"But, surely you know her reason for all of this, for this war she had evoked- surely you do not believe this is a big misunderstanding." Leon half laughed, believing Arthur was so foolish, forgetting Arthur was Prince and looking at him as his friend. Arthur however frowned scornfully at his Knight; he did not take kindly to being laughed at in front of his men.

"You will hold your tongue, Leon." Arthur snapped, sitting proudly on his horse now, his brows still furrowed, bringing strain to his sapphire gaze. "You will do exactly as I have asked." Arthur told him forcefully, digging the heels into his horse. "And that is an _order_." Arthur snapped, his teeth gritted, before he dug his heels into his horse's ribs and began off on a small trot before breaking into a graceful gallop.

Leon looked taken off-guard, Arthur had never snapped at him like that, Leon had always had a way of adding some light heartedness to all that he said, yet Arthur had taken these words to heart instead of laughing like he usually did. Perhaps the subject of Morgana was closer to his heart than he thought. Did he… no, he was with Guinevere, everyone knew that. Leon laughed foolishly to himself, Morgana was his sister after all, and he could not have those sorts of feelings of incest for her. Yes, it was clear Arthur just felt protective over his newfound sister and that is why he had acted as he had. And with that, Leon, Percival and Gwaine took the north pathway whilst Elyan, Lancelot and Merlin galloped off the east path to catch up with Arthur.

"When can we go home?" Gwaine moaned as he trotted alongside Leon when they were deep within the forest. "I don't think you understand how serious this is." Leon told him with a frown, as he watched the swiping tail of Percival's grey horse in front.

"Oh come on, can't we just tell Arthur we couldn't find her- he'll never know." Gwaine moaned with an added smirk, thinking his plan was a rather dashing one, and would certainly deceive the young Prince.

"No, we cannot!" Leon snapped. "You are a Knight, these are your duties." The blonde Knight explained to his sighing companion, as he watched Gwaine roll his eyes in disgust at his words.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how you even became a Knight." Leon scowled, scoffing in half-belief. "Because, _I_ am a better fighter." Gwaine winked to the frowning Leon, as Percival turned around to give a small laugh at Leon's expense, before the loud sound of rustling leaves could be heard.

"What was that?" Leon said, his face frozen- listening hard to hear something. "I said I'm a better fighter." Gwaine replied with another small laugh, before Leon turned with a face of fury.

"Will you _shut up_?" Leon whispered aggressively in rage to his friend, which took Gwaine aback. Soon the rustling returned, swarming around them. "Maybe it's just an animal- a deer." Percival nodded, trying to reconcile Leon's anger and suspense. "We need to be sure." Leon whispered in return as he pulled out his shining silver blade.

"We'll go check further up the path and Gwaine; you stay here and call us back if you see _anything_." Leon explained seriously, turning to his friend with wide eyes of concern. "If you come with us, you'll just scare it away." Leon explained. "Yeah- it'll take one look at you and just die." Percival laughed, but soon shut up as Leon stared icily in his direction. "No, he just won't shut up." Leon added with a smirk before he kicked his horse and set off up the path, before he and Percival were lost in the thickening fog.

Gwaine sat on his horse, giving a hefty sigh as he stared around him; trees, trees and more trees, not to mention the thousands of golden leaves which lay upon the forest floor. It was quite a beautiful sight, but the thickening fog added eeriness, and a coldness which could definitely be felt both inside and out.

Although, Gwaine didn't take much notice, instead he yawned and sighed and even contemplated going for a quick nap on his horses long haired mane, it wasn't like anyone would find out. But then he heard the rustling return, of course this made him freeze as a spooky silence seemed to captivate the woods around him; should he call for Leon and Percival? No… He'd deal with this lurking beast himself.

His long freezing fingers crept along his blade before he ripped the shining blade from its slumber and quickly hopped off his horse. "Who's there?" He called out to the silence, as his eyes shot frantically around- nothing; nothing but a folded piece of white parchment which lay just a few footsteps out.

His face grew curious, his brows furrowing in disbelief as the handsome young Knight stepped out to retrieve it before the breeze took it away.

The thick parchment was folded neatly and sealed messily with red wax, but there was no royal seal, no mark of who was the bearer of such notes. But he wasted no time in pulled the card with force to watched the blob of red wax crack and break, as his fingers unfolded the card. It read thin, neat black writing, each letter curled graciously with elegant flicks and glorious swipes with that of a quill.

_Gwaine,_

_Do not fear, I have not come for vengeance, I hold no quarrel with you after all. We have never met, and it has probably been for the better- but, I wish to speak with you soon. Please do not fear me- I bring you no harm; please trust in my words if not anything else. _

_Meet me at the forest edge at nightfall, I will wait for you there- for a conversation and nothing more, I have things to ask of you. You do not have to come, but I would be greatly disappointed and would cherish your company._

_Burn this note upon reading it and show __**no one**__, I beg of you._

_Morgana._

Gwaine froze, as his eyes graced over the signature at the end; _Morgana_. Wasn't she the one they were out hunting today? Yet she was surely here moments ago, watching… It sent a shiver down his spine, as his eyes shot up and around him, looking for any trace of her presence still lingering, he backed away- shaken by this encounter, his hands still holding the note possessively.

Why did Morgana want him? What had he done? Although, she did not seem angered, she seemed curious if anything else. He was aware of her manipulative ways that she would stop at _nothing_ to get what she wanted. What if this act of kindness in her letter was in fact an act of aggression, that she would hold him captive, kill him perhaps?

But she explained she only wanted to exchange words with him, she had stressed she meant no harm, she did not want peace no, but she did not want blood either, or so it seemed.

"What _are _you doing?" Leon laughed as he saw Gwaine standing, frozen in fear. Gwaine's mind raced before he jumped at Leon's presence. "Eh… Nothing, I thought I heard something." Gwaine explained, as he forced a fake smile before climbed upon his horse again.

"Where you scared down here all by yourself?" Percival mocked with a childish voice before his booming laughed echoed through the silence. Gwaine scowled at his friend before he went to tuck the note into the pocket sewn to his chest.

"What's that then?" Percival asked, as he saw Gwaine tuck the parchment away. "Nothing." Gwaine muttered quickly, not meeting Percival's gaze. "Aw, just another _love letter_ from one of your many _sweethearts_?" Percival mocked a second time, holding his hands to his chest and gazing up to the sky, his tone filled with sardonic infatuation. "Yeah… Something like that." Gwaine told him with a sheepish smile, as Leon took off back down the path.

"What's the matter with you?" Percival asked Gwaine, seriously now. "Before we left you were practically asleep on your saddle, and now you're fully alert, you seem… unnerved…" Percival told his friend, his eyes scanning his face for any sign of what might be wrong.

"Oh, he's just scared- in case he met Morgana." Leon scoffed before he let a booming laugh escape him lips, not unlike Percival's, as Percival returned the laugh, leaving a frowning Gwaine. "Well, you'll be happy to know, it _was_ just a deer." Leon reassured his friend when his laughs dampened. "And I was too much of sap to kill it." Percival confessed with a laugh, before he kicked off his horse to catch up with Leon's, leaving an anxious Gwaine to think over the recent events in his mind.


	2. Chapter 2 I'm not Afriad of Danger

**Authors Note:**

_Sorry for taking ages to update! But I hope you enjoy this chapter. Even though this is an Arthur/Morgana story, this chapter is strictly Morgana/Gwaine. This chapter is rated M for safety, but it's not that bad, don't worry. ;) I hope you all enjoy, and don't worry- as you will discover, Gwaine/Morgana will not become a constant thing, ArMor all the way! ^^ Please R&R! :)_

**Chapter 2**

"_I'm not afraid of Danger in the Dark."_

"What's the matter?" came the distinctive coo of Merlin. "Nothing, nothing…" Gwaine said, snapping out of his silent disposition.

Merlin, Gwaine, Leon, Percival and Elyan had decided to go to the famous 'Rising Sun' tavern, feeling it was an appropriate close to the day. Arthur however hadn't been up to the idea, he wanted to go and discuss some new methods of hunting down Morgana with his council, after today's mission had been a bit of a failure, and Lancelot wanted to go home and get a good night's rest, after Arthur demanded all his Knight's (and Merlin) where to be up bright and early, ready to go on another trek in search for the conniving sorceress.

Leon had claimed that Arthur was simply being unfair and bitter about them choosing to go on to the Tavern without him, and that was the reason for his early morning demand, knowing his Knight's would most likely drink too much and be like walking death in the morning, a sort of punishment in itself.

Lancelot wasn't keen on the idea of getting up early after a late night, Leon had tried to explain that it was only a _few_ quiet drinks before bed, but everyone knew that would be a different story when Gwaine got on the scene, but tonight- he had barely touched his ale, or made an inappropriate remark on a voyage to chat-up one of the barmaids, but Merlin was sure he had slept with every one of them- _at least_ twice.

"You've barely touched your beverage…" Leon said, snapping out of chatter with Elyan when he heard Merlin try and talk to Gwaine.

"I'm fine, really…" Gwaine said, looking up to his friends and forcing a fake smile.

"Are you still getting over what happened in the forest? Don't worry; we won't leave you alone again!" Percival chuckled, making a slip joke.

"Why, what happened in the forest?" Merlin asked, a look of bewilderment washing over his face as he turned to Percival and Leon.

"Nothing Merlin- nothing happened." Gwaine shook him off, raising his hand for him to be quiet, before he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Percival asked, looking up at him, shaking out of his laughter.

"I'll just head home." Gwaine explained. "I think I'll take Lancelot's approach, I don't fancy listening to a peeved Arthur in the morning with a sore head." Gwaine told them, giving a slight chuckle, all fake of course. Normally he would have been begging everyone to stay and when they finally all did leave, he'd have latched onto one of the barmaids, and no one would hear of him again until the next day.

"Is everything all right?" Elyan finally piped up, deep concern in his tone.

"Honestly, I'm fine." Gwaine ushered. "I think I'm still getting over last night's hangover." He gave another small chuckle as he scratched his shaggy hair.

They seemed to have bought that, and then he heard them all utter 'goodnight' and 'see you in the morning', Leon even throwing in that 'your age is catching up on you.' And finally, he left the tavern, a small smile etched on his lips at the kindness of his friends.

High in the sky, the sun was setting. It hung low in the sky, the sky above a shade of blue, mixed with streaks of blue, as thin long lines of cloud remained, withering away as the sun sunk lower in the sky.

Gwaine stood at the side of the street, the low distinctive sound of high cheers and chatter, mixed with the jolly chimes of music, could be heard from within the Tavern he just left. He _could_ home, get into bed and forget about the whole thing, about the letter he had reieved from surely the most dangerous woman in the whole of Camelot. Or he _could_ go with his gut feeling, and vanish out into the outskirts of the forest and wait for her, to see what this Morgana wanted from him exactly.

It would be foolish to follow his gut feeling and go in search of her, but he knew if he didn't go that it would annoy him for a long while. And then, he was always foolish anyway.

So, with that he left Camelot, upon his horse to go _searching_ for danger, and he knew he would find it.

For now, all that could be heard was the low thump of horse's hooves bellowing off the mucky ground below, kicking dirt as the delicate hooves bounded further and closer to Gwaine's doom.

Soon, the sky was a dark blue, as stars began to nestle in the velvet. He was on a lonely road, with only the forest outskirts before him, the town of Camelot behind him; quite eerie all in all.

Gwaine slowed his horse into a slow trot, before the forest was upon him. He slowed before finally stopping, hopping off his horse and slapping it lightly on its hide, as he watched it moved away to the side-lines to graze in the darkness.

Gwaine gazed up at the high trees, the trunks thick and wide, before they went up and up and up, getting lost in the darkness, no end to their spiralling branches. The shrubbery was untamed, as bushes and other forms of plants grew wildly over the dirt path. Patches of grass grew to begin with, but soon it ran off and disappeared to nothing more but soil, that too was hidden under the hundreds of thousands of dead leaves and twigs that graced the forest floor. His nostrils were filled with a dusky dank scent, as he gazed around his surroundings.

Morgana had told him to meet here, where was she? But then he was beginning to realise that this was all perhaps a trap…

"Are you accustomed to be fashionable late?" Came the delicate, soothing tone of Morgana, breaking the silence as her voice hung over the damp air, making Gwaine jump as she moved out from behind a tree.

"Morgana…" He breathed, turning to see her. He had never seen anything so beautiful, she could _never_ compare to the many barmaids that resided in Camelot.

Her thick, dark raven hair was tangled in a brisk set of knots and waves, hanging gracefully down her back, but forgotten against her black clothing. She wore a long, hooded cloak, it trailed the ground; the bottoms muddy and tattered. There was a brass clasped belt tightened around her petite waist, even without her flowing silk gowns or her golden jangles of jewellery, she still was breath-taking. Her skin was pale as snow, her eyes accentuated and dark, their emerald gleam lost, now they were perhaps black and cold, bitterness hung there, but it was clear she still had some humanity left, as twisted as she seemed. Perhaps her eyes gave away more of her broken soul than she thought….

"I see you came after all…" She began, moving closer to him.

"What do you want?" Gwaine asked at once, he knew that if Arthur or _anyone_ knew he were here, that he'd probably be killed- he was fraternizing with the enemy, by just agreeing to her note he was already betraying Arthur.

"Oh come now, we're old friends are we not?" Morgana teased, turning to walk back up the path she came.

"Friends?" Gwaine scoffed, following her wanting to face her but she refused to turn to her.

"We've barely met!" Gwaine snapped angrily, but Morgana merely chuckled.

"Well, allow me to introduce myself." Morgana began mockingly. "I'm Morgana, daughter of the mighty Uther and I plan to kill him and his son to regain my throne." Morgana concluded, turning around to look at Gwaine with an overly sweet smile, sarcastic of course.

"That's enough!" Gwaine snapped angrily, Arthur was his friend- he wouldn't hear of his death, but Morgana turned around again and began walking.

"Is it really though?" Morgana teased menacingly. "Then, why is it that you continue to follow me?" Morgana turned to look at Gwaine, face to face with him now.

"You obviously find me alluring, do you not?" She teased gazing up into his soft brown eyes, a seductive smile painted on her lips.

Gwaine on the other hand was lost for words, his mouth hung ajar as he gazed back into her eyes, a glint of green could be found in them now, but they never shone like they once did.

It was in that split second that he didn't know if he should belt her away or ravish her on the spot- but he didn't have a chance to do either, because she had set off walking again.

"Why have you called me here, I want to know your reasons!" Gwaine snarled, running to catch up with her again.

"Well, you see Gwaine…" Morgana began, never slowly her pace or turning to look at him as she spoke. "I need your help." She told him, turning to shot him a menacingly smile, before she brought her eyes back to the road ahead.

"My help?" Gwaine half scoffed, as he stared at her. "For what?" He asked, knowing she would probably never answer, but to his surprise, she did.

"To regain my throne." Morgana put quite bluntly.

"I'm not going to help you kill Arthur if that's what you mean or Uther." Gwaine shot back at her, shaking his head.

"Oh no, I could never ask you to do that." Morgana confessed. "Arthur is your friend, and you obviously hold some respect for him, and Uther- God knows why anyone would hold anything but hatred for him, but nonetheless…" Morgana explained, he seen the scowl she made at the mention of Uther; the father that did not want her.

"But surely, surely even _you_ can understand the motives for my ways." Morgana confided, at suddenly he saw her dark, twisted humour drop- was she being compassionate?

"I'm made out to be the bad one here…" She confessed, turning to look at Gwaine, _finally_ stopping. "But I am not." She explained, her eyes full with sadness and pain, as though they were _begging_ him to understand.

"I am Uther's daughter; the oldest and the legitimate heir to the throne, yet he would rather disown me, deny that he is my father and pass his crown to Arthur." Morgana explained, Gwaine finally noticing how truly human she was, but whether this was just her manipulative side showing, she did not know.

"My sister was the only one to show me kindness, she accepted me for who I was- Uther would have rather killed me if he discovered my magic…" She said, looking away from him; she was unearthing harsh memories, memories she didn't want to remember, it made her realise how much all of this hurt, but she wouldn't appear weak, she would rather die first.

"Arthur _knows_ the throne is mine, yet he would gladly take it and throw me out here- alone in the forest." Morgana explained, turning her gaze to Gwaine, a sense of longing in her eyes that didn't go unnoticed.

"I have done _nothing_ wrong; all I have done is fight for what is mine." Morgana concluded, as Gwaine stared back at her, taking in every word, absorbing it like a sponge.

"I saw how you were when you were Queen." Gwaine told her bluntly, his eyes thinning and his lips pursing to a scowl. "You chained up the King, killed your people and were cruel to anyone that spoke against you." Gwaine snapped, he wasn't falling for all the rubbish she had just come out with, whether it was true or not, he knew she had changed it to suit her ways, to paint herself as the damsel in distress.

Morgana for once was speechless, Gwaine as a lot smarter than she gave him credit for.

"I was a cruel Queen… yes." Morgana frowned, looking to the ground. "That was an act of violence and anger, I know better now…" She tried to reconcile.

"People don't change that fast!" Gwaine retaliated aggressively.

"Oh really?" Morgana snapped back in anger, her teeth gritting. "Well, we'll just throw you out in the forest for a year, alone with your thoughts and see how forgiving you are by the end of it!" She snarled, the wickedness within her coming through.

Now, Morgana had turned away from him, she folded her arms and only the loud huffs coming from her mouth could be heard.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" Gwaine asked, if she didn't want him to kill Arthur or Uther, then what did she want him to do.

"So you'll help me?" She beamed, turning around to face him, not expecting this; she was sure she had blown it.

"I asked what you wanted of me, nothing more." Gwaine replied sternly, folding his own arms across his chest.

"Well…"Morgana began, walking in circles around him as she looked to the floor in thought.

"You could prove useful… You are Knight after all." Morgana began. "It would be nothing drastic; I would not wish to put your life in danger…" She lied, resisting the urge to smirk.

"Why, you hardly know me?" Gwaine asked, his eyes following her.

"Ah, but am I not more _forgiving_ now? I told you- a year in the woods does great things…" She smiled; the urge to twist it into a smirk was becoming very hard…

"Anyway…" She continued. "I wouldn't be asking much of you… I just need a friend on the inside…" Morgana tried to add as much woe and pain to her voice as possible, he _would_ feel sympathetic by the end of it.

"I'm not going to spy for you." Gwaine snapped, but still shocked by how weak and selfless she seemed, why was everyone so afraid of her?

"Oh no, and I never asked you to…" Morgana told him, she already had a spy…

"I could make Arthur see some sense?" Gwaine suggested, if she was this compassionate surely he could talk to Arthur, not let slip that he had met with her, but maybe convince him to welcome her back and forget all of this nonsense, he saw how he was yesterday, utterly broken at the thought of hunting her down, it would be easy enough.

"You will do no such thing!" Morgana snapped, showing her pearly white teeth as she snarled, now frozen on the spot.

"No!" She began again, circling him. "You will help me get back to Camelot and get my throne." Morgana smirked, looking into the distance as she imagined herself with that _wonderful_ crown on her head…

"I told you, you can't ask me to do that!" Gwaine told her, but she turned to him like a possessed victim.

"Well…" She began, as she moved closer to him. "You know where to find me…" She whispered, her sweet breath felt against his cheek. "If you change your mind…" She uttered seductively, her lips _almost_ tracing his jawline, but she tore herself away before she had a chance.

Gwaine watched her as she moved up the pathway to her small hovel, opening the door and disappearing behind it, looking to give him a lavish tempting smirk before she was gone.

He thought about it, but in his eyes there wasn't much to think about. Morgana was asking him to help her win back her throne, she didn't ask him to kill anyone, and she had just about promised that all would go unnoticed. But Arthur was his friend; would he really appreciate being lied to like this? But then, there was the breathtakingly beautiful Morgana, practically waiting inside for him; he'd be a fool to walk away. Like he had said before, he _was_ a fool, which was why he was now making the stupid decision of following her up the path.

Gwaine burst her front door open, to see her sitting on the edge of her bed, the crackling fire burning in the hearth, creating a voluptuous orange glow through her small shack, a poor excuse for a home really.

"Does that offer still stand?" He asked, eyeing her like a prized possession. And now, now she was upon him; she gazed up and into his eyes, the seductress within truly being revealed.

"I thought you'd never ask." She smirked before he crashed his lips against hers; hardly believing that he was really doing this.

They stood at the doorway for a moment, smothering each other in heated kisses and whispered affections, before he lifted her, as she pulled her legs tight around him, their lips never parting for a second, until he sat her on the foot of her bed, her arms wrapped graciously around his neck.

"I do hope you live up to the rumours." She teased, looking up to him, the temptress within captivating her.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" He asked, as his hands grazed down her back.

"Even out here in the forest Gwaine, we hear about your womanizing ways." She smirked, making him chuckle slightly- but never denying it.

Soon their chuckles were lost, as their mouths collided once again, each kiss as longing and teasing as the last. Both fought as viciously, not a trace of delicacy would be found.

Soon his hands moved to her laced black bodice, each lace tangled and lost against the other; impossible to remove, he was sure.

"Here…" She muttered, prying her lips away from his and looking down to her corset. "Why don't I help you?" She teased, gripping both her hands on the bosom of her bodice, as she gave it a strong tug. The laces loosened, pushing her bulging chest so the binding could be revealed underneath. She looked up to him longingly again, neither of them wasting a single second.

Gwaine pushed her back onto the bed, as she gave a slight chuckle- he was so naïve.

He lost his shirt and the returned to her, covering her in sweet kisses. The rough graze of his unkempt stubble against her neck, his lips captivating her in warm kisses, tracing her jawline before they _finally_ reached hers again.

The warm brush of his tongue tangling in with hers, the heated and passionate divulged in every kiss, sucking her in and never wanting to be let go.

His hands wavered to her chest, pulling the remainder of her corset off, swarming her body, as both his hands gripped her waist and moved up them, the delicate curve of each detailed lace racing against his skin, as she moved herself up slightly to allow him to pull it off, now only her binding remained, and her long, flowing black skirt. Not that the skirt even mattered, since it was pulled around her, filling the content of the bed, as her bare legs wrapped around him.

His hands now explored her, the thin rags that bound her, just to be unravelled, and then- she would be his.

Both of them continued to fight against each other in heated, passionate kisses, both of them enjoying the roughness that the other dared to take, the deadly sin that they were committing, almost laughable now; neither of them cared. Her voluptuous body was his, and now nothing mattered, not Arthur, any of Knights, Uther or even the many women running the Tavern. Now all that mattered was Morgana, he would take every punishment given to him, take the beating and happily smile at the end of it all. He was entirely infatuated now.

The night had lingered out into a midst of passion and lust, but every night has it's end, like every day has its dawn.

Gwaine opened his eyes to the dim light of the sun, he was sure it had only risen in the sky. He was alone in a rackety old bed, to surroundings he didn't recognise. The walls were covered in ivy, as it crept up the stone wall. Pots and pans hung over a stove, as well as shelves of potions and vials. That was when he caught sight of a figure by the foot of the bed, all in black, as she fastened a belt around her waist.

"Morning." He muttered with a smirk, pulling his arms back to fold them and lean on them, he remembered where he was, and the long heated night that had got him here in the first place.

Morgana however shot him a look with furrowed brows. "Finally." She muttered. "Do you plan on leaving?" She growled, pulling at the bottom of her bodice, fixing herself.

Gwaine however smirked still. "I see you didn't need any help putting it back on." He teased, indicating to her thickly laced bodice. She however scowled at him.

"Now." she began, ignoring his inappropriate requests, last night she was the temptress; that was all forgotten now, so he needn't bother trying an insensitive jokes about her lustrous ways. Of course, she still had to keep him sweet.

"I hope you'll keep you part of the deal." She told him, bending down to throw a few more logs in the fire, logs she had retrieved earlier while he had been sleeping.

"Now…" He chuckled, but she didn't give him time to finish.

"Do I not make an exceptional lover?" She teased, although wishing she wouldn't have to do this. He chuckled again.

"Of course you do." He confided, making her smirk. "Well, you just keep your side of the deal and I'll keep mine." She teased playfully, but the moment she turned away from him she made a face of revolting disgust.

"Anything for the Lady." He teased, but she wished he wouldn't, it wasn't like his words were going to make her pull her clothes off and climb into bed beside him again.

But, as he got up he realised something. _Arthur._

"What time is it?" He asked anxiously to Morgana. "Oh, hold on- I'll just pull out my sun-dial." She replied sardonically, making him freeze.

"Have you any idea what time it is, at all?" He snapped, panicked.

Morgana furrowed her brows. "Well, the sun raised a little over two hours ago I'd imagine." She informed him, but annoyed he was suddenly so snappish, only she could be the nasty one.

"Why?" She asked, wanting to know why he was suddenly so panicked.

"I was supposed to meet Arthur at dawn, to go on a hunt for _you_!" He told her, his eyes widening. "They'll be passing this way any moment!" He said, throwing on his clothes.

"You _idiot_!" Morgana snapped at once, her plan would be over before it had even begun.

"Get out of here, _now_!" She growled, but he was already gone, running up the pathway, never turning around, fear etched into his mind- if he was caught, he didn't even want to _think_ about the consequences.

Finally, he reached the end of the forest, knowing Arthur would find him, knowing it would nearly be too late- but it already was!

"Gwaine?" Arthur said as he trotted over to him on a black stallion. "Sire." Gwaine bowed, his face painted with guilt as he saw Leon, Merlin and all the other Knights come into view.

"Where have you been?" Arthur asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh… well you know…" Gwaine shrugged his shoulders. "Women, I guess." He pulled his hands through his shaggy dark hair.

"I am supposed to be out hunting Morgana and here I am wasting my time looking for _you_!" Arthur growled.

"I've just about had it with you and your carefree ways!" Arthur yelled, making all his Knights and Merlin fall to silence.

"Sire…" Gwaine said, ashamed, looking to the floor.

"I think four hours in the stocks should do it." Arthur smirked, how Gwaine would hate to have rotten fruit tangled in those locks…

"Sire!" Gwaine snapped, looking up to Arthur with widened eyes.

"Sorry, make that five." Arthur gave a nod of approval. "Sire, surely that's not fair!" Gwaine shouted back up at him, sitting there all high and mighty on his horse…

"Do I hear seven?" Arthur said mockingly, holding his hand around the back of his ear, pretending to be listening.

Leon and Percival escorted Gwaine to the stocks, and Merlin even took a shot at throwing a rotten tomato at him, but that was when Gwaine realised… He would have taken every punishment with a smile; he had gotten what he wanted; Morgana- he was at _her _disposal now.


End file.
